Repaired Bonds
by Insanity-Plus
Summary: It's been seventeen months since Rukia left Ichigo to pursue her script writing career, and Ichigo has yet to move on. Attending a writer's convention to promote his new book, he comes face-to-face with his ex and her new boyfriend. Will he be able to forget about her, or will what they once had come back to heal their broken bond? IchiRuki. Slight RenRuki. AU. R&R!


**Hello once again dear readers. I am back with yet another one-shot! I promised that I would try to post a bit more often, and I am delivering with this! **

**I hope you enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters used within this Fic! Nor do I own the rights to the music used in this Fic! They all belong to their respected owners! Please support the official release!**

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"Why is _she_ here?"

Ichigo banged his head against the wall of his hotel room, cursing over and over again with each bang. A headache was forming quickly, but he didn't care. The pain in his head was nothing compared to the pain in his chest.

This was his first ever Writers Convention as a published author. His publicist had advised him that going to these types of events to promote his book was a very successful method to increasing sales and notoriety. His publisher had paid for his ticket, and he had gotten off the train earlier in the morning here in Tokyo. His room had been booked and his booth was in need of being set up in the main lobby where the actual convention was taking place. He had dropped off his suitcase in his room and went to prepare his booth, but while doing so he was hit with a very shocking surprise.

"_Ichigo?"_

_Ichigo froze as he was organizing the copies of his books on the table. He turned towards the familiar voice and his eyes widened as he caught sight of who was talking to him. _

_Just as short and petite as he remembered her, Kuchiki Rukia stood a few feet away with astonishment on her face. The last time they saw each other her raven hair fell down to her shoulders in silky strands, but now it was cut short to just the nape of her neck, that single band still between her captivating violet eyes. She was dressed in a formal black dress skirt with a white undershirt and black belt, accentuating her curves. Ichigo felt underdressed in front of her, wearing an informal pair of jeans and button up t-shirt. His publicist had advised that he dress to look approachable, but now he felt embarrassed for wearing such clothing. _

"_R-Rukia?" he stammered. He was shocked to see her here. He hadn't seen her in seventeen months, since their breakup…_

"_Hey, what are you doing here?" she asked, seemingly at ease. He could tell she was slightly awkward as well from the way her eyes darted around, but to an outsider she seemed as cool as a cucumber. _

"_I'm…uh…promoting my book." He pointed to his booth, to the many books piled on the table. _

_Rukia seemed surprised by this, taking a step forward to look at his book. The cover was a simple black portrait, a bright full moon in the center with a long red gash running vertical through it. At the top was the title in foreboding gothic text__:_MOON CUTTER_. At the bottom in more simple text was his name, Kurosaki Ichigo. _

"_Wow, you finally finished it, huh?" she remarked. _

_Ichigo scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, kind of got hit with inspiration a while back and got it done." _

_Rukia smiled softly. "I'm impressed," she said. "Mind letting me buy a copy?"_

"_Uh…" he was dumbfounded for a moment, trying to collect his thoughts. Her piercing violet eyes were slicing into him, impeding his thoughts. She raised a brow at him, and he shook his head to clear the cobwebs. "Yeah, just let me grab-"_

"_Rukia, there you are." _

_Ichigo was interrupted as a man with long red hair tied into a wild pony tail came up from behind Rukia. He wrapped an arm around her, paralyzing Ichigo on the spot. _

"_Oh, Renji," Rukia seemed flustered as the man pulled her to his side. "This is Ichigo, an old… friend."_

Friend…_ the word hurt. They had been more than friends, but now she was ashamed of him. Why else wouldn't she tell him who he really was?_

"_Nice to meet you," The man, Renji, extended his hand. "I'm Renji, Rukia's boyfriend."_

_Ichigo felt like his chest caved in at that moment, but he swallowed hard and masked it. He shook the man's hand and nodded his greeting. _

"_Well, we have to get going," Renji turned to Rukia. "The director is looking for you."_

"_Okay, I'll be there in a minute," Rukia said. Renji nodded, leaning down to kiss her cheek. Ichigo glanced away as this happened, unable to witness such a thing. He felt anger building inside of him, but he breathed deeply to quell it. It wouldn't do to start a fight in the middle of his first outing as an author, especially over something like this. _

"_So…" Ichigo said after Renji walked away. "The movie is going well, huh?" _

_Rukia glanced at him, seeing the hurt look in his eyes. She frowned, opening her mouth to say something but closing it instead. She sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Yes, it's almost complete."_

"_That's good," he said. "I'll make sure to see it when it comes out in theaters." _

"_Thank you," she said. _

"_Well, your director is looking for you. I'll…see you around." _

_Rukia seemed like she wanted to say something, but didn't. She waved goodbye and left, leaving Ichigo to dwell on his encounter with his ex-girlfriend. _

He had run up to his room immediately after to curse and vent his frustrations. This was supposed to be a positive experience, but now it was turning into a nightmare. He had spent the last seventeen months trying to get over Rukia, and just as he was starting to finally move on she shows up to send him back to step one. And to see her with someone else? Ichigo wanted to tear his hair out and jump out the window.

"Why must she be here?" He banged his head against the wall again.

Rukia had left him to pursue her career in script writing. She wanted to write movies, to sell scripts in Tokyo, and had ended their relationship so she could focus on her work. She moved to Tokyo, leaving him heartbroken back in their birthplace of _Karakura_. He had loved her so much, _still loved her. _He had delved into his writing to forget his anguish, and out of it came his book. He was starting to move on; he was finally forgetting Kuchiki Rukia.

And now…she was here. With another man. _She loved someone else. _

The thought made him want to cry, to scream, to punch holes in the wall. But he did none of these things. He gritted his teeth and picked up his phone, dialing the first number to come to mind and waiting for the person to pick up.

"_Hello?_" an annoyed voice answered.

"Ishida," Ichigo sighed. "I need your help."

"_Why? I thought you were at the convention?_" Ishida said. "_Hurry up, I'm at work and only have fifteen minutes for a break._"

"You're a doctor and only get fifteen minutes to relax?"

"_Your question is my daily complaint,_" Ishida sighed. "_What's wrong?_"

"She's here," Ichigo said tersely. "Rukia is here."

Ishida was quiet for a moment, realizing the severity of the situation. "_Shit._"

"Yes, shit," Ichigo groaned. "And she's got a new boyfriend."

"_Seriously? Who?_"

"Some asshole named Renji," Ichigo ran a hand through his hair. "She's here to promote her movie, and I don't know what to do."

"_Why do you have to do anything?_" Ishida inquired. "_Just because she's there doesn't mean you necessarily have to do anything._"

"Well, I can't just ignore the fact that she's here!" Ichigo growled in frustration, tugging at his orange hair.

"_Calm down, Kurosaki._" Ishida gave a loud sigh, the sound muffled over the phone. "_You have to play it cool. Don't let her know you're still hung up over her. Act like you're perfectly fine and she'll see you've moved on._"

"But I haven't," Ichigo retorted.

"_Idiot, I know this,_" Ishida groaned. "_It's called _faking it_._"

"Faking it, right," Ichigo chewed his lip. "What does this accomplish?"

"_You won't give her the satisfaction of knowing you're an emotional wreck,_" Ishida replied. "_She won't know that you're a huge loser._"

"Oh, thank you, best friend. It's nice to know you've always got my back." Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"_Of course,_" Ishida chuckled. _"Remember; focus on promoting your book. If you dwell on her you'll just drive yourself crazy._"

Ichigo nodded, even though his friend couldn't see it over the phone. "Alright, I'll do my best."

"_Good, now leave me be. I've only got ten minutes left to my break and I'm starving._"

"Yeah, yeah. I'll talk to you later, four-eyes."

"_Later, strawberry._"

He hung up, and tossed his phone onto the bed. Ichigo took a moment to compose, reminding himself of Ishida's words_: __play it cool, don't be an emotional wreck, fake it. _

Ichigo fixed his shirt, took in a slow breath, grabbed his phone, and went back to the lobby.

[~]

Ichigo finished setting up his booth and started selling his books, putting on his best winning smile and engaging with the people that passed by his booth. It was easy, he discovered, to talk to people about his book. He was passionate about his work, and it showed in his words as people stopped to buy an autographed copy of his novel.

By the time noon came around, Ichigo had already sold ten copies of _MOON CUTTER_, much better than he had anticipated. He had the allotted space for his booth until twelve thirty, so he figured now was a good time to start packing up. He could see the next author lurking around waiting for her turn, and decided he'd move along a few minutes early to give her the time to set up.

As Ichigo was putting away the leftover copies of his book, a presence stood behind him. A tap on the shoulder made him jump and drop one of his novels, the book clattering to the ground. He cursed and turned, ready to scowl at the person that startled him but froze as he saw who it was.

Rukia stood behind him, looking amused at having scared him. She grinned up at the dumb look on his face, and jutted her chin out at him.

"I see your booth is doing well," she said. "I noticed a few people buying your book earlier. People are talking about it around here."

Ichigo cleared his throat, remembering what Ishida had told him. _Play it cool._

"Yeah, well, I've been busting my ass to sell these." He pointed to the pile of books on his table.

"Nice to see you take good care of them," Rukia laughed at him, confusing him. She glanced downwards, and he followed her line of sight. A blush spread across his cheeks as he noticed the book he had dropped when she scared him on the floor. He went to pick it up, but Rukia moved quicker and snatched it up before he could.

Ichigo felt his face light on fire as she inspected his book, reading the synopsis on the back cover of the hardcover copy. Her brows rose with each passing second, her interest clearly piqued.

"_Shinigami _huh?" Rukia smirked at him. "You always had a fascination for the dead."

Ichigo scratched his cheek, trying to hide the embarrassment on his face. "Yeah well…it's just interesting to me." He cursed himself for being such an idiot.

"I know," she smiled softly. "I'm glad to see your book is selling. You deserve it."

Ichigo was surprised by this. She gave him an affectionate smile, and his heart skipped a beat. Memories of that smile being directed at him early in the morning after a night of passion flashed through his mind, and melancholy filled his heart.

"Thank you," he said. "You always were my biggest supporter."

Rukia nodded, staring down at the cover of his book in thought. "Can I get an autograph?"

Ichigo blinked, watching as she handed him the book. He nodded and grabbed a pen from the table behind him, writing on the inside of the cover_: __Thank you, __f__or everything_ followed by his signature. When he handed it back to her, she was fishing in her pockets for her wallet. He quickly waved her off.

"No, it's on me."

"Are you sure?" Rukia asked, raising a brow.

"Yeah," Ichigo said, rubbing the back of his neck. "That book… I wouldn't have completed it without you."

She furrowed her brow in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Ichigo swallowed hard, preparing himself for what he wanted to say. "After… you left, I used my writing as an escape. This book was finished thanks to my need to escape reality."

Rukia was stunned by this, staring at him as he averted his eyes. He knew being so honest was opening him up to pity, but it was something he wanted off his chest.

So much for "playing it cool."

"Ichigo…" she tried to say, but Ichigo cut her off.

"I gotta get going," he said quickly. "I have to call my publicist and let him know how it went. I'll… see you around, okay?"

Rukia remained silent for a moment, her violet eyes bearing into him. He fought the shiver that threatened to run through him, trying to maintain as much pride as he could in front of her.

"Okay," she said quietly. "I'll see you later, Ichigo."

Ichigo watched her go, his heart hammering in his chest. He cursed his emotional disposition. Just the thought of her made him want to crawl under the covers of his bed. He fought these depressing thoughts, forcing himself to man up and finish packing the rest of his books.

[~]

Ichigo spent the rest of the day exploring the other booths and glancing in on the speakers for the convention. He didn't feel like purchasing any tickets for the panels, even though his publicist had advised him it would be a great learning experience to hear from more seasoned authors. Ichigo had planned on attending a few, but with everything going on with Rukia he didn't feel like staying in one place for too long. Staying on the move helped him to stay calm and be distracted.

He purchased a few signed books from some of the other vendors, promising to read and review their work online. He understood how hard it was to get started – hell, he was right there next to these people – so he intended to keep his promise to read all of these books and review them with his honest opinion.

By the time the convention was slowing down, Ichigo was growing tired. He could see that the vendors were shutting down for the night and nobody would come to replace them until morning. He figured this was the perfect time to go back to his room upstairs and get some rest. He was scheduled to set up his booth early in the morning, and he wanted to make sure he was well rested when the time came.

Closing the door behind him, Ichigo gave a loud sigh. The day had not gone the way he had pictured it. He imagined meeting a few people, selling a few copies of his books, and maybe sitting in on a few panels. But instead the day had been dominated by the fact that his ex-girlfriend had shown up at the convention.

He went through both the interactions he had with her during the day and felt foolish. He couldn't have made himself out to be more of a loser if he tried. He had admitted to her that he had been torn up over their breakup, and had basically shunned her before she could respond. He was an idiot, and he damn well knew it.

"Fuck," he cursed, running a hand through his hair. He grabbed some pajamas and jumped into the shower, staring at his feet the whole time imagining what she may be doing at that very moment. She was probably in her room with that red haired baboon, smiling at _him _and letting _him _hold and kiss her. They were probably telling each other they loved each other at this very second, and the thought made Ichigo want to slam his head through the wall.

_This is ridiculous, _he told himself, _we broke up over a year ago! I shouldn't be so broken up over her. I should be happy she found someone who can actually make her happy…_

Although he knew he should be happy for her, he wasn't. Her happiness was important to him, yes, but the selfish part of him wanted to be the one to make her happy. He wanted to be the one to make her smile, to tell her she was beautiful, to hold and kiss her…

"Fuck, I'm so far gone," he mumbled as he turned off the water and stepped out of the shower.

Drying himself off and brushing his teeth, Ichigo continuously told himself to stop moping so much. It was pathetic to be like this, especially since he's had so much time to get over her. Being such a wreck was childish and unattractive. He resolved to push all of these thoughts to the back of his mind. All he had to do was make it to Monday and he'd be fine.

Once he was fully cleaned and dressed in a pair of purple sweatpants and a white wife-beater, Ichigo sat on the bed and checked his phone. He had called his publicist earlier and reported the lucrative day he had, but after that he hadn't checked his phone. There were seven missed calls from his crazy father, a text from his sister Karin telling him to ignore their dad, another text from Ishida asking how things went with "playing it cool," and finally a reminder from Yuzu to eat properly or else he'd get sick.

He texted back his sisters, ignored his father, and replied to Ishida saying that he totally played it cool – even though that was a horrible lie.

Once he was done fiddling with his phone, Ichigo plugged it in on the nightstand and double checked the alarm. He couldn't afford to oversleep tomorrow.

Just as he was about to lie on the bed, a knock came at his door. He frowned, wondering who could possibly be knocking on his door at such a late hour.

Ichigo opened the door and for a second didn't see anyone. His eyes drifted a little lower and, after spotting the person on the other side, widened.

Rukia stood in the hallway outside his room wearing a simple pair of white sweats and a white t-shirt with the logo to _Chappy the Bunny _printed across her bosom. She wore an expression of trepidation, her hands bundling the hem of her shirt nervously. Their eyes locked and Ichigo could tell Rukia wasn't here for fun.

"R-Rukia!" Ichigo blurted, his face flushing in embarrassment. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you, Ichigo," she said softly. "Can I come in?"

"How'd you find my room?" he inquired, debating whether or not he should let her in. He was just starting to get his mind off of her, and now she was here in front of him wanting to talk.

_How could this weekend get any worse?_

"I… asked the front desk," she said, averting her eyes. "I told them I was your girlfriend and-"

"You told them _what?_"

Rukia blushed brightly. "It doesn't matter," she coughed. "Can I just come in?"

Ichigo stared down at her with hesitation. He saw the pleading look in her eyes and knew he couldn't deny her anything when she looked at him like that. With a sigh, he opened the door wider and stepped back.

"Come in."

Rukia nodded, walking past him into the room. Ichigo closed the door and followed her as she sat down on the end of his bed, staring down at her interlocked fingers in thought. He didn't sit, but rather stared down at her, waiting to hear what she had to say.

She glanced up at him, then back down at her hands. "I want to talk to you about what happened between us."

Ichigo wasn't as surprised as he felt he should've been. "Okay."

She gave a sigh, meeting his eye finally and saying, "I wanted to apologize… for you having to meet Renji like that."

Ichigo clenched his fist, but held back the tightness from his voice, "It's fine," he lied.

"No, it's not," she shook her head. "After everything… I know it wasn't pleasant to meet him. I wasn't expecting to see you here and Renji is the star of the movie so it was required for us to be here together."

His eyes widened. "He's the _star _of your movie?"

She nodded. "He's playing the lead male protagonist."

Ichigo turned away slightly, fighting the urge to punch a hole through the television. "Did you… did you leave me for him?"

Rukia's eyes widened. She quickly stood from the bed, shaking her head. "No! Of course not! We met on set a few months after I left _Karakura. _We were-"

"Please," he cut her off. "I'd rather not hear the details."

She stared at him for a moment, her mouth open in mid-sentence but no sound coming out. She closed her mouth and thinned her lips, choosing her words carefully. "Ichigo, I'm truly sorry."

"Don't be," he said quietly. "You made it clear you didn't want to be in relationship with me when you left for Tokyo."

"It's not that I didn't want to be in a relationship with _you_," Rukia quickly retorted.

"Then what?" he fired back, unable to control his temper any longer. "If that's not it, then what else could it be? You left me, saying you wanted to work on your career, but all it took was a few months and you've got a new boyfriend. How am I supposed to interpret that, Rukia?"

She gave him a sympathetic look, which infuriated him. She was pitying him, the very thing he didn't want to happen. He clenched his teeth together and glared at her feet, noticing offhandedly that she was barefoot.

"I promise you, Ichigo," she began slowly, "that it's not that I didn't want _you_. I just… I didn't want a long distance relationship."

Ichigo's eyes snapped back to her, narrowing slightly. "That's it?"

She was confused by his inquiry. "Y-Yeah?"

"You didn't want a long distance relationship," he echoed with a flat tone.

She nodded hesitantly. "Yes. I didn't think I could handle it… the constant worry that you'd find someone else… the lack of physical attention… I just didn't think I could handle it."

"That's fucking ridiculous," he said with bite.

Rukia's eyes widened in shock. "W-What?"

"I would have gone with you!" Ichigo yelled, his emotions out of check. He couldn't stop himself, and now that the floodgates were open there was no closing them. "I would have moved to Tokyo with you to keep what we had."

"I couldn't make you do that…" Rukia said weakly. "Your family is in _Karakura_."

"So?" he threw his hands up. "Even if I couldn't leave, we could have made it work! The reason most long distance relationships fail is because one or both of the couple is unwilling to put in the effort! If you truly love someone, then you can make it work despite the distance! I loved you, Kuchiki Rukia, and I would have done _anything _to keep you."

Ichigo let loose a breath to calm himself after his tirade. Rukia was stunned into silence, staring at him open mouthed and wide eyed. He waited for her to say something, but when nothing came he shook his head and walked to the door.

"I think you should leave now, Rukia." He opened his door and gestured towards the hall.

Rukia was still stunned, standing by his bed staring at him in pure shock. Tears were welling in her eyes, her hands trembling. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it. She finally tore her eyes away from him and nodded, walking towards the door.

"I'm sorry, Ichigo…" she said shakily. "I shouldn't have come here…"

"Whatever," he said, not daring to look at her as she cried in case he caved and begged for her to stay. "Just… go back to _him. _I'm sure he'll make you feel better."

At this, Rukia stopped and turned back to him, standing in the hallway. "Ichigo…"

"What?"

She remained quiet for a moment, contemplating something. "Do you still love me?"

Ichigo was so shocked by this question that his eyes snapped to hers, seeing his reflection in her round violet eyes. She was looking at him with such sincerity, such longing. His heart quickened its pace, unable to look away from her.

"I think it's time for you to go," he said, ignoring her question.

"Ichigo-"

He slammed the door shut before she could coax him into telling her the truth.

[~]

Ichigo was awake all night thinking about her. She permeated his thoughts like a plague, memories of their time together flashing before his eyes like a stop motion movie.

Kuchiki Rukia had come into his life when they were both fifteen. She had been the new kid in class, coming from a rather wealthy family but choosing to attend public school rather than private. She had told him that private school children were snotty brats, and she didn't fit in with them at all. Ichigo had been chosen to be her guide, and it didn't take long for them to hate each other.

At first.

They used to tease, argue, yell, and insult each other nonstop. It was a battle between the sexes, and neither were willing to give up. But before either of them realized it, they were spending all their time together, even outside of school. Their bitter rivalry became a close friendship that no one could break. They stilled teased and argued with each other, but it was done in a more playful manner. When they were seventeen, Ichigo realized he liked her. He spent a good few months fighting it, but there wasn't any way to fight his feelings. When he asked her out, it was done under a cherry blossom tree in her backyard. She instantly said yes and they kissed.

They were together five years. They attended the University of _Karakura_, both literary majors. Rukia had expressed early on that her dream was to be a script writer; to write movies for the big screen. Ichigo wasn't as certain as her, but thanks to her constant badgering he was finally able to deduce that he wanted to be a novelist – an author. She'd joke that she would someday write the script for the movie version of his book, and although it was mostly a joke he could tell she had real aspirations to do so. They were in love, and Ichigo never wanted to lose her.

But, the day Rukia's script was bought by a big Tokyo production company; Ichigo could tell something was wrong. Not only was her script bought, she was asked to come along on set to be a writer/producer. He was happy for her, but for some reason she wasn't as happy about it.

She left him to move to Tokyo, saying that she wanted to focus on her career now that it was taking off. There wasn't much he could say, other than that he understood. He didn't want to stand in her way on the path to her dream, so he let her go. He was crushed, because he thought they would someday get married. They had been together so long he forgot what it was like being single. When she left, part of him left with her.

It took him a year, publishing a book, a few failed dates, and a lot of moping to even begin to get over her. And now here she was, messing with his head, asking if he still loved her.

Sleep was an elusive mistress for Ichigo that night.

When the sun came up, Ichigo still was awake, albeit very tired. His mind was a jumble of thoughts, all of them involving Rukia and her question from the night before. He hated that she expected for him to still be in love with her after she hurt him, and he hated even more that he was.

After getting dressed and collecting his items for the day, Ichigo made his way down to the lobby where the convention was starting back up again. He saw the other authors and respected writers setting up their booths, and waved to a few that he had met with the day before. When he found his lot, he began to set up for the day.

"Excuse me?"

Ichigo turned and was shocked to see Rukia's red haired boyfriend, Renji, standing there. He held an expression of slight impatience, but tried to hide it with indifference. Ichigo might not have noticed it had he not been so good at reading people's expressions.

Being a writer meant being able to read people decently well.

"Uh… hello?" Ichigo wasn't sure how to respond.

"You're Kurosaki, right?" Renji asked, raising a brow.

Ichigo furrowed his brows. "Yes?"

"Here," Renji handed Ichigo a white card encased in a clear protector. "Rukia asked me to give this to you."

Ichigo scowled, taking the card and inspecting it. His brows rose in surprise as he read the content of the card.

"Free access to a Q&A panel?" Ichigo turned to Renji with a frown. "She wants me to be there when you guys promote your movie?"

Renji shrugged. "I guess so."

Ichigo glanced down at the card again. "Why couldn't she give this to me herself?" he asked.

"Not sure," Renji replied, clearly wanting to go back to whatever he was doing before. "She asked me to give it to you. I tried to ask her why, but she just told me to do it. She can really yell."

Ichigo fought off a slight smile, remembering all the arguments he had shared with her over their five-year-relationship.

"Yeah, she certainly can," he said nostalgically.

Renji knitted his brows together. "_Right_," he drew the word out lazily. "Anyway, I gave it to you. I'm gonna go get ready for the Q&A. I'm the star, so obviously I have to be there," he said boisterously.

Ichigo wanted to roll his eyes at this man's pretentiousness, but held it off and nodded. "Alright, I'll think about it."

Renji shrugged, clearly not caring, and walked off. Ichigo watched him go, wondering what on God's Green Earth Rukia saw in him. Ichigo had met him twice and his impression of the man was of a lazy asshole.

Ichigo turned his gaze back to the card and frowned. After last night, why would Rukia want him to attend her movie's promotion? This being a writer's convention, the promotion would surely be from the writer's point of view, meaning she'd be in the limelight during the whole thing. Why should he attend something that showcased his ex-girlfriend's accomplishments? It seemed like a giant slap in the face.

"I'm not going," Ichigo said to himself, placing the card in his pocket.

[~]

Ichigo scowled as he flashed the card Renji gave him so security would let him into the conference room.

After picking up his booth and putting what few copies of his book back into his hotel room, Ichigo made his way into the room where Rukia would be promoting her new movie. He cursed himself over it, but he was too damn curious as to why Rukia would give him free access to this thing to deny the invitation.

He found a seat in the third row and made himself comfortable, waiting for the room to settle in and for the panelists to come out. Everyone around him was making a ruckus, a few people whispering how excited they were for this movie to be released. Ichigo was surprised that the movie had made such a name for itself in the time it took to be shot. He guessed the internet really was a great medium for promotion.

The lights dimmed slightly and the room exploded into applause as the speakers made their way out onto the small make-shift stage. Ichigo instantly spotted Rukia at the center of the group, meaning she would be the keynote speaker, just as he expected. He also spotted Renji walking behind her, a wide grin on the smug bastard's face. Ichigo's mood soured slightly at the sight of them together, but he quickly brushed it off, chastising himself for being so petty.

The group sat down as the applause lessened and Rukia moved to the podium. She smiled at the crowd, her eyes roaming the sea of people excitedly looking back at her. Her eyes landed briefly on Ichigo, and he noticed a pang of sadness pass between her violet irises. He was the only person to notice, but mainly because he was watching for it.

"Thank you all for coming," Rukia said into the microphone, her voice echoing throughout the room. "As you already know, this is the Q&A for the writers and actors of the movie _WINTER'S DANCE_. Here we will answer any questions you have for us. My name is Kuchiki Rukia, and I am the writer and producer for the film."

The crowd clapped, and Rukia smiled bashfully.

Once the introductions were done, the Q&A began. Ichigo didn't raise his hand throughout the event, listening as each participant answered questions from the crowd. Each question directed at Rukia was mainly about where she came up with the idea, and her answer surprised him.

"I came up with this idea in college," she said, her eyes flitting to Ichigo briefly before returning to the crowd. "I was given the idea by a… friend who supported me and my writing. Their loyalty and unwavering encouragement helped me come up with the idea for the female lead – a woman who is need of a person just like that one I had."

Ichigo knew she meant him. He had supported her throughout college, picking her up when she was down and even beta reading her first few drafts. He would wake up in the middle of the night to see her writing away, and it made him smile because he knew it was the most passionate thing in her life. Her dream was to be a script writer, and Ichigo had done everything in his power to help her.

If only he had known that it would backfire.

Very few questions were thrown at Renji, seeing as the audience were consistent of aspiring writers of all formats and were interesting solely in that field of the movie. Ichigo could see the red haired man growing slightly annoyed whenever he got skipped over, and whatever questions were thrown his way were answered in that same obnoxious tone he used earlier with Ichigo. More than once he noticed Rukia throwing Renji a narrowed stare.

When the hour was drawing to a close, Rukia announced that they had time for only one more question. Once again Ichigo didn't raise his hand, but quite a few around him did. Rukia's violet gaze racked over him, and he lowered his head slightly so that they didn't lock stares. Her voice echoed over the room, silencing the murmurs of the crowd.

"Yes, you next to the orange haired man."

Ichigo shot his eyes up to see the woman sitting next to him standing. He caught Rukia's stare, and became flustered. She was discreetly calling him out, letting him know she was aware of his presence and acknowledging it.

"Um," the woman next to Ichigo stammered, clearly embarrassed to have been put at the center of attention. "To Kuchiki-senpai, I was wondering… after this movie… what kind of script will you write next?"

Rukia hummed in thought, considering the question. "I haven't put much thought into that," she replied, tilting her head. "Although, I have been tinkering with the thought of an adaptation of a specific novel I started reading recently."

Ichigo's eyes widened. She couldn't be talking about his novel, could she?

"If you don't mind me asking," the woman next to Ichigo said hesitantly. "what novel would that be?"

Rukia gave a small smile, locking stares with Ichigo intently. "_MOON CUTTER _by Kurosaki Ichigo."

[~]

After the Q&A was over, Ichigo stood by the exit watching the throng of people making their way back into the main part of the convention. He scanned the many faces, searching for the person he intended to talk to.

"Ichigo," Rukia's voice called to him. He turned to find her pushing her way out of the crowd towards him, a smile beaming on her face. "I'm glad you came. I was afraid you wouldn't."

He shrugged. "I felt I ought to support your movie, even if we aren't together anymore."

The smile faltered from Rukia's face slightly. "Right, listen. I wanted to talk to you about last night…"

"No need," he shook his head. "I get it. You wanted to set things straight. I'm sorry I exploded."

"No, you had every right to," she said. "I've been thinking about what you said and…" she paused, taking in a deep breath. "…you were right."

Ichigo perched a brow atop his forehead. "I was right? About?"

She pursed her lips together, averting her eyes. "I was scared of being in a long distance relationship, but I hadn't taken the time to consider that maybe it could have worked. You said that if a couple loves each other enough distance wouldn't be able to tear them apart, and I truly believe that we could have made it work, if I had given it a chance."

Ichigo was stunned by her admission. He stared at her slightly wide-eyed, not knowing how to respond. She fiddled with her fingers, anxious to hear what he had to say. She glanced up at him, seeing the dumbfounded look on his face. She bit her lip, whispering softly, weakly, "Say something, please."

"I…" Ichigo swallowed harshly. "I'm not what to say."

"I was hoping for maybe we could be friends again?" Rukia offered. "I miss you Ichigo… and I'd really like for you to be back in my life."

Ichigo frowned, absorbing her words slowly. He closed his eyes and sighed, turning his head so he wouldn't have to look at her. "Rukia… I don't think that can work."

Rukia's face fell. "Why not?"

"Because… I don't think I can live with just being _friends _with you," he answered. "I still have feelings for you, and I miss you too, but I don't think I can live day-to-day having to see you in love with someone else."

Rukia stared at him, her eyes beginning to glisten with tears.

"You do love him, don't you?"

Rukia sucked in a tight breath. "Don't make me answer that…"

Ichigo's eyes widened, ready to pursue the topic but was interrupted as the man in question came from out of the crowd towards them. A scowl spread across Ichigo's face as Renji came up behind Rukia, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, making her jump.

"Hey babe," Renji said casually. "You did great in there."

Rukia looked between Renji and Ichigo, seeing the sour look on the orange haired man's face. She shot him a sympathetic look, and then turned to her boyfriend.

"Thanks," she said lightly. "You did too."

Renji snorted. "I barely got any attention. You'd think the lead actor would be fawned over, but these nerds just wanted to talk about the small stuff."

"'The small stuff'?" Ichigo echoed, narrowing his eyes. "This is a writer's convention; of course everyone would be more interested in the writing portion of the movie. And they aren't 'nerds,' they're aspiring writers hoping to one day be where Rukia is."

Renji seemed shocked to have been chastised. "What's your problem, carrot top?"

"My problem?" Ichigo felt all of his frustration bubbling up to the surface, morphing into white hot rage. He gave a low growl and took a dangerous step towards the slightly taller male. "My problem is that you're looking down on all these people, when it's them that are giving you a job. You actors wouldn't have a role to play if someone else didn't write it for you, yet you treat the writers as if they're worthless. It pisses me off! You're a pretentious asshole who only cares about himself and the attention he gets for his profession, willing to overlook those that do the dirty work to allow you such a job. You don't get to belittle these people, especially since your _girlfriend _is one of them!"

Rukia and Renji stared at Ichigo in shock, a small crowd beginning to form around them. Ichigo gritted his teeth together, willing himself to calm down. He could feel the rising tide of emotion inside of him, begging for more. But he had to stop, or else he may start throwing punches.

"Who the _fuck-_" Renji started to say, but Rukia pushed him back, silencing him with her glare.

"Don't," she warned. "Leave him alone."

Renji's brows knitted together in anger, his fists clenching. "You're defending _him_?"

"I'm not defending anyone," she retorted. "I'm putting a stop to this before it gets ugly."

Renji scowled, glaring at Ichigo fiercely. Ichigo glared right back, not willing to let this man intimidate him. He may have the girl, but he won't get the upper hand also.

Renji curled his lip and scoffed. "Whatever," he said. "I don't need to take this bullshit. C'mon babe, we're leaving."

Renji tugged Rukia along behind him, throwing one last scathing look in Ichigo's direction. Rukia turned and mouthed 'I'm sorry' to Ichigo before they disappeared into the crowd, leaving him to stand there with his fists clenched and his heart pounding in both pain and anger.

"Fuck this," he snarled, turning and pushing his way through the crowd to his room.

[~]

"_Why did you have to start a fight?_" Ishida asked in exasperation.

Ichigo sighed, running a hand over his face. The second he got back to his room he called his best friend to tell him everything that had just happened with him and Rukia and her douche boyfriend. He should have known Ishida would instantly blame him.

"I didn't start it!" Ichigo defended. "That asshole did when he called everyone at this convention a nerd!"

"_So you let it slide, moron!_" Ishida scolded. "_You don't make a scene! Now Rukia is probably with him thinking that you're even more of a pathetic mess than you are._"

"Fuck you, four-eyes!" Ichigo barked. "You're supposed to be on my side here! Why not show a little support for your emotionally fucked friend, huh?"

Ishida gave a loud groan, and Ichigo could picture him rubbing the bridge of his nose under his glasses. "_Look_," he began. "_You've already messed up any chance of becoming friends again with her, so the best option you have is avoiding her for the rest of the day and tomorrow morning. Once you leave you don't have to deal with her again._"

Ichigo knew he was right. After everything that's happened over the course of this weekend there was no chance of him and Rukia ever getting back together in any way, so it really was in his best interest to stay clear of her. Every time he's talked to her so far has ended in heartache and frustration on his part, so why keep going through it?

"Alright," he finally said, sitting down on the end of his bed. "You're right. All I can do is avoid her like the fucking plague."

"_Agreed,_" Ishida said. "_When you get back we'll go for a beer, help you get your mind off of her. I'm sure Orihime has a friend or two that would be happy to go on a date with you._"

Ichigo shook his head. "No, I'd rather not go on another blind date with one of your wife's friends. I think I need to be alone for a while after all of this."

Ishida was silent for a few moments on the other end of the phone, and then said, "_Alright, if that's what you want. I'll see you when you get back._"

"See ya."

Ichigo hung up the phone, letting it fall to the bed next to him. He placed his face into his hands and groaned, a headache throbbing in his forehead. He didn't think he could handle any more drama for the day, so he decided to stay in his room and relax until it was time to leave. He had already fulfilled his promise to sell as many books as possible in the lobby for the weekend, and was not required to go back down there for any reason other than for personal entertainment. Staying in his room was his best bet to stay out of Rukia's path.

But first, he needed to go out and get something to eat.

Standing from the bed, Ichigo grabbed his phone and wallet and made his way to the door. As he was opening the door, a hand followed it and he was surprised to find a body come crashing into him. He yelled out, falling backward with this new person lying on top of him.

"What the…?" Ichigo looked down to see who had fallen into him, only to be paralyzed when he found it was Rukia lying on him.

_Why me?_

"Ah! I'm sorry!" Rukia shouted as she fought to untangle herself from him. He grunted as he struggled as well, trying his best to not touch her too intimately. His hand brushed her hip, and he couldn't help the blush that overcame his face.

They stood a few feet apart from each other, brushing themselves off and avoiding eye contact after that embarrassing moment. Ichigo scratched his cheek, trying to calm his erratic heartbeat.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, trying to push past what had just happened. His plans of avoiding her had been dashed, so he might as well dive into the moment.

Rukia cleared her throat. "I… broke up with Renji."

Ichigo brows furrowed in confusion. "Why? I thought you two were…"

"No," Rukia shook her head. "What you said about him earlier… you were right. He's a pretentious asshole that only cares about himself. Trying to talk to him about my work is like talking to a brain dead baboon."

"Then why were you with him?" he inquired.

She threw her arms up. "I don't know… he was handsome and we were spending a lot of time together on set… it just sort of happened."

"Just sort of happened?" he echoed skeptically.

Rukia blushed. "Well…I might have been using him…"

He raised a brow. "For what?"

Rukia swallowed thickly, raising her gaze up to meet his. "I was using him to get over you."

Ichigo hadn't expected this. "R-Really?"

She nodded. "Yes… I was so full of guilt over breaking up with you that I thought hooking up with Renji would help me forget you."

Ichigo was quiet for a moment, staring into her beautiful violet eyes. He thinned out his lips, taking a step closer to her. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise, tilting her head up to look at him.

"Did it work?" he asked softly.

Rukia's breath hitched in her throat. "W-What?"

"Did it work?" he asked again. "Did he help you forget about me?"

Her face flushed a bright pink, her eyes darting around everywhere but to him.

"Do you want the truth?"

Ichigo nodded. "Yes."

Rukia brought her hands up, playing with her fingers in order to help relieve some of her anxiety. "No…" she whispered.

"What was that?" he asked, leaning closer.

Rukia lifted her head, their eyes locking together. His smoldering ambers bore into her sparkling violets, begging for the truth. Her lips parted, hoods overcoming her eyes as she looked back into his.

"No," she said with more conviction. "I couldn't forget you."

Ichigo's lips formed into a small smile. "Really?"

"Of course," she said, shaking her head. "I loved you, Kurosaki Ichigo. I loved you more than life itself. You were my inspiration to write, you were the reason I even had the confidence to attempt it. I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for you."

He leaned in even closer, this time without Rukia flinching. "And now?"

Her brows knitted slightly. "Now what?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Last night you asked me a question. I'm asking you the same thing."

Rukia searched his eyes, trying to understand. When it hit her, her mouth fell open.

"Oh," she whispered.

"Do you still love me, Rukia?" he asked softly.

Rukia sucked in a deep breath, not wavering from his intense stare even a bit. "I never stopped loving you."

He smiled, leaning in to kiss her. She met him halfway, on the same train of thought. Their lips met and it was like coming home, returning after a long sabbatical from the one place he felt he truly belonged_:_ with her.

Rukia latched onto him as if he was the only thing keeping her up. She slammed the door behind her, pushing him further into the room. He grinned at her forcefulness, loving how she tries to take dominance. It was cute, especially since she thought he'd just submit without a fight.

Hands groping one another, Ichigo and Rukia moved to the bed. They kicked off their shoes and tore away their shirts, all the while kissing passionately. After so long apart, both were starved for one another. Rukia ran her fingers through his orange locks, and he cupped her supple breasts in his large hands to make her moan deliciously. The sounds were a delight to Ichigo's ears. He had dreamt of those sounds for over a year, and now that he was hearing them again he felt himself being driven crazy with need.

"Ichigo…" she moaned, tilting her head back. He dived in to kiss the creamy flesh of her neck, biting and sucking softly to leave little marks on her skin. She shivered under his barrage of kisses, gripping the sides of his head. She wrapped her legs around his waist, using her weight to pull him down on top of her on the bed. He paused in his assault on her neck, pulling back to look into her eyes.

"Rukia…" he whispered.

"Yes?" Her eyes shined with worry.

"I don't want this to just be a one-time thing," he said, pressing his forehead against hers. "I want you to be mine again."

Rukia smiled softly, cupping his cheek. "As do I," she replied.

"Promise?"

"Promise," she said.

Ichigo shook his head. "I want you to say it all."

Rukia chuckled, pecking his lips. "I promise that I want to be yours again."

Ichigo smiled, claiming her lips once again.

[~]

_Four Months Later…_

In the time that followed the writer's convention, Ichigo and Rukia had promised to stay in touch no matter what. She swore that the distance wouldn't deter her because she loved him and that was enough to keep her sane while they were apart. Ichigo knew she was telling the truth, could see it in her eyes. His heart warmed at the memory of her smile as they lied together in bed naked the morning after they got back together.

They stayed in as long as possible before they had to leave. When the time to part came, Rukia cried in his arms and promised him she wouldn't leave him ever again, despite the distance. Ichigo kissed her tears away and told her he loved and trusted her. He promised that he would visit as soon as he could, and after that they reluctantly separated.

Now, four months later, Ichigo and Rukia's relationship was stronger than ever.

"C'mon, dammit," Ichigo swore as he rapidly clicked on an icon on his laptop. The computer was running slow, and it was pissing him off. It was eight o'clock, and that was the time he always talked to Rukia on _Skype_. He groaned and tapped his fingers on his desk in impatience, waiting for the program to start up.

When it finally came up, he saw that Rukia was already online. He quickly clicked the "call" button and waited for the call to connect.

"_Hey,_" Rukia's smiling face came into view on his laptop's monitor. She was dressed in her yellow polka dot pajamas, sitting on her couch with her laptop in her lap. He smiled back at her and gave a small wave.

"Hey beautiful," he said, making her giggle. "How are you?"

"_Fine,_" she answered. "_I miss you though_."

"I miss you too," Ichigo said, chuckling. "We'll be together soon, I promise."

"_I know,_" Rukia said, sighing. "_Anyway, did you get the revisions I sent you?_"

He grinned. "Yes, I did."

She perked up. "_What do you think?_"

He feigned contemplation, letting her sweat. She rolled her eyes at him, and he laughed softly.

"I loved it," he finally said. "I don't know why you would think I didn't."

She beamed. "_I'm glad you did. I want to make sure I'm doing your book justice on the big screen_."

Rukia had started penning the movie adaptation of his novel the second she returned to her apartment in Tokyo, and had been sending him the drafts to get his approval. Her movie was nearly complete, so she had more free time to spend writing this new script. He had read the latest revision earlier in the day, and was more than excited to see that she had brought his story to life in script form.

"You've done a wonderful job," he said. "I hope someone picks it up."

"_I'm certain they will_," she said, shrugging. "_Your story is fantastic._"

He couldn't help but smile. "Thank you, that means a lot."

Rukia smiled, adjusting her position on the couch. "_Ichigo?_"

He raised a brow. "Yes?"

"_I love you,_" she said.

Ichigo smiled wide. "I love you too, Rukia," he said, staring into her eyes through the computer screen. "We'll be together soon."

She nodded, not knowing about the train ticket Ichigo had in his back pocket.

"_I can't wait to have you in my arms_," Rukia said wistfully.

Ichigo held back a grin. "You won't have to wait too much longer, I promise."

* * *

**What do you think? I wanted to write something different than my usual dark supernatural stuff, and this is what came to me. I'm just a bit iffy on it, but I'd love to hear what you guys think! Did I do a good job? Or should I stick to my usual paranormal genre? **

**I hope you enjoyed!**

**REVIEW!**


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